Brent Council have won a round in a legal battle over their Bridge Park regeneration plans.
The High Court has confirmed that Stonebridge Community Trust’s (HPCC) claim that the Bridge Park Leisure Centre land is held as a charitable trust cannot proceed as HPCC do not have legal standing to bring the claim to court.
This removes a potential barrier to the redevelopment of the site, so the council is one step closer to winning the whole legal case and delivering new facilities on the site, which has been partly disused for more than a decade.
The site is partly occupied by the disused former Unisys buildings, empty for more than 15 years, and part by a leisure centre owned by the council. They plan a mixed use development (pictured) including a new Community Hub with improved leisure facilities, community space, modern workspace and new homes.
The New Bridge Park Centre would contain a six lane swimming pool with a moveable floor, a four court Sports Hall, community facilities including function halls and meeting rooms, a gym, and flexible business space to support local enterprise.
In February 2014, Brent consulted with local residents on four options for the layout of the new facility. In June 2017, the council agreed to sell part of its land to the owners of the Unisys buildings on the condition that the whole site would be redeveloped to include housing, a modern leisure centre and a new hotel including restaurants and bars.
In October 2017 the council carried out a further six week consultation asking residents what they wanted to see as part of a modern leisure centre.
Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Brent Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Culture & Leisure, said: “This judgement has clarified the point about whether a charitable trust exists or not. We have offered to sit around the table to discuss ways in which the local community can get involved in taking proposals for a new Bridge Park forward to ensure that the community of Stonebridge and beyond get the excellent new facilities that local people are demanding.”
